LEXINGTON, KY (June 30, 2026) – The “Race to the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC),” a series of 25 free handicapping contests exclusively for subscribers of Race Lens, Equibase’s interactive past performance product, is set to launch on July 4, 2026. Now in its third year, the series of contests are hosted by Equibase, the industry’s official database for racing, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), founder and operator of the NHC.

The weekly series of contests are free to Race Lens customers and will lead to the “Race Lens Final 50,” an end-of-season qualifier that will send two Race Lens subscribers to the 2027 NHC in Las Vegas from March 5 – 7, 2027. All contests will be hosted on Horseplayers.com, the official online qualifying site of the NHC and Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.

Last year’s Race Lens winners of the NHC seats were Mark McGuire, a longtime NHC participant, and Edward Enborg, who finished in the top 10% of the NHC and earned $13,000.

“We are proud to partner with the NTRA on this promotion, which generates 25 free opportunities to play throughout the second half of the year for two seats to the NHC,” said Equibase President and COO Kyle McDoniel. “Not only is it a great opportunity for our active customers, but it’s also a perfect way for people who have never tried Race Lens or currently aren’t active subscribers to take advantage of the deep discounts that are being offered. It’s also the perfect time for people not as familiar with contest play to jump in and learn.”

The Race to the NHC kicks off on July 4, 2026, on Horseplayers.com and continues through February 6, 2027. The top two contestants from each weekly contest will qualify for the Race Lens Final 50 on February 13, 2027. The top two finishers of the Race Lens Final 50 will earn a qualifying berth to the NHC, a four-night stay at the Horseshoe Las Vegas, and a $500 travel voucher, courtesy of Race Lens. The third through seventh finishers will win entries into the Last Chance / First Chance contest to be held prior to the NHC, also at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. The complete Race Lens schedule of qualifiers can be found here.

The weekly Race to the NHC contests are free for Race Lens customers who hold a monthly, quarterly, or annual Race Lens subscription. Special pricing on all Race Lens subscriptions is available. Participants in the Race Lens Final 50 must be members of the NHC Tour to win the entry berth into the NHC.

“We are extremely excited to continue our partnership with Equibase on this thrilling contest series to engage Race Lens customers in NHC contest play,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “At the NTRA, we’re always looking for ways to give horseplayers more avenues for NHC qualification. We hope that horseplayers of all kinds take advantage of this partnership with Race Lens and potentially win a seat to NHC 2027 in Las Vegas.”

For more information about Race Lens and the Race to the NHC, visit equibase.com/content/NHC/racetothenhc.cfm.

About NTRA

The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., and Washington, D.C., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers, and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare, and integrity of Thoroughbred racing.

About Equibase Company

Equibase Company is a partnership between subsidiaries of The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America and serves as the Thoroughbred industry’s official database.  Through its website and mobile applications, Equibase offers a comprehensive array of free statistical information as well as premium handicapping products and reports in support of the North American Thoroughbred industry.  Additional information is available at equibase.com.

###